Each year the OAS Secretary General publishes a proposed Program-Budget for the coming calendar year. The OAS General Assembly meets in a Special Session to approve the Program-Budget. Find these documents from 1998-2013 here.

Each year in April, the OAS Board of External Auditors publishes a report covering the previous calendar year’s financial results. Reports covering 1996-2016 may be found here.

Approximately six weeks after the end of each semester, the OAS publishes a Semiannual Management and Performance Report, which since 2013 includes reporting on programmatic results. The full texts may be found here.

Here you will find data on the Human Resources of the OAS, including its organizational structure, each organizational unit’s staffing, vacant posts, and performance contracts.

The OAS executes a variety of projects funded by donors. Evaluation reports are commissioned by donors. Reports of these evaluations may be found here.

The Inspector General provides the Secretary General with reports on the audits, investigations, and inspections conducted. These reports are made available to the Permanent Council. More information may be found here.

The OAS has discussed for several years the real estate issue, the funding required for maintenance and repairs, as well as the deferred maintenance of its historic buildings. The General Secretariat has provided a series of options for funding it. The most recent document, reflecting the current status of the Strategy, is CP/CAAP-3211/13 rev. 4.

Here you will find information related to the GS/OAS Procurement Operations, including a list of procurement notices for formal bids, links to the performance contract and travel control measure reports, the applicable procurement rules and regulations, and the training and qualifications of its staff.

The OAS Treasurer certifies the financial statements of all funds managed or administered by the GS/OAS. Here you will find the latest general purpose financial reports for the main OAS funds, as well as OAS Quarterly Financial Reports (QFRs).

Every year the GS/OAS publishes the annual operating plans for all areas of the Organization, used to aid in the formulation of the annual budget and as a way to provide follow-up on institutional mandates.

Here you will find information related to the OAS Strategic Plan 2016-2020, including its design, preparation and approval.

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The Bahamas (Commonwealth of)

Current Events

On September 23 - 25, 2014, an on-site visit is being carried out in The Bahamas as part of the review process of the Follow-Up Mechanism on the Implementation of the Inter-American Convention against Corruption (MESICIC), established within the framework of the Organization of American States (OAS). This visit is taking place with the consent of The Bahamas.

This Convention is the first international instrument on the subject and comprehensively addresses this complex problem, by contemplating measures to prevent, detect and punish acts of corruption, conceiving this task as a process of shared responsibilities by the States, civil society, the private sector and the international community. It has been ratified by 33 of the 34 active member States of the OAS, which makes it the most ratified legal instrument in the inter-american system, after the Charter of the OAS.

The MESICIC is an intergovernmental mechanism, which was established in the framework of the OAS to support States in implementing the provisions of the aforementioned Convention, through a process of reciprocal evaluation and on conditions of equality. It also provides broad opportunities for participation by civil society in this process. The end result is the formulation of recommendations with respect to those areas in which there are legal gaps or in which further progress is necessary.

This Mechanism takes into account the principles of sovereignty, non-intervention and juridical equality of the States and it is not a tribunal for prosecuting specific cases of corruption. For this reason, in its review process, it does not receive or make pronouncements with respect to complaints about such cases and focuses its attention on helping countries have adequate laws and stronger institutions to prevent the occurrence of such cases and to be more effective in the detection, prosecution and sanctioning of those that perpetrate acts of corruption, and in the recovery of property stolen from the State.

Joining the MESICIC is voluntary for the State Parties to the Convention. Currently, 31 of 33 States that have ratified participate in this Mechanism. The Bahamas ratified the Convention in 2000 and is a member of the MESICIC since its creation in 2001.

These visits, which are taking place for the first time, are a step in the review process of the MESICIC, and as part of this process, it examines the implementation of the provisions of the Convention with respect to oversight bodies responsible for preventing, punishing and eradicating corruption. Moreover, it will follow-up on the recommendations that were formulated to the countries in the First Round of Review, covering, among others, standards of conduct to prevent conflicts of interest, standards on the proper conservation of public resources and for reporting acts of corruption; systems for registering income, assets and liabilities of public servants; mechanisms of participation for civil society in efforts to prevent corruption and international cooperation and mutual assistance to jointly combat corruption.

It should be noted that these visits do not constitute an autonomous and independent analysis of the review process. As a result, neither during the visit itself nor when it ends, will statements be made on the substantive issues that will be considered. These are only made known when the Committee, in its plenary, adopts the country report. This will take place at the Committee’s Twenty-Fifth meeting, which will be held March 16 – 20, 2015.

With respect to the formation of the team that will visit The Bahamas, a representative from Costa Rica will also participate in the on-site visit, with the support of the OAS General Secretariat in its capacity as the MESICIC Technical Secretariat. Both parties will refrain from making public statements, in the media or through any other means, regarding the on-site visit, either prior to, during, or after the visit.

“Indigenous Perspectives” Photography Competition is open to Photographers of all ages and levels (professional, student, or amateur). All are invited to participate in the “INDIGENOUS PERSPECTIVES” PHOTOGRAPHY COMPETITION, to tell stories about the indigenous peoples of the Americas, through pictures.

Registration is FREE and Photographs must be received by the deadline of June 9, 2013.

BAHAMIANS will be able to access $1 million in grant funding under the Global Environment Facility (GEF) small grants vehicle, the Minister of the Environment and Housing said yesterday, adding that the programme had committed to providing this locally through 2014.

REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WORKSHOP FOR ENERGY AND EDUCATOR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CARIBBEANBasseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Wednesday September 19, 2012

REGIONAL SUSTAINABLE ENERGY WORKSHOPS FOR
ENERGY AND EDUCATOR STAKEHOLDERS IN THE CARIBBEAN

The Organization of American States (OAS) through its Department of Sustainable Development and the Energy Department of the Caribbean Community Secretariat is collaborating with the Caribbean Electric Utility Services Corporation (CARILEC) to accelerate the transition toward cleaner and more sustainable energy in Caribbean countries.

To this end the three organizations working under the umbrella of two EU-funded initiatives, namely, the Caribbean Sustainable Energy Program and the Caribbean Renewable Energy Capacity Support (CRECS), co-hosted three regional workshops on sustainable energy from September 10 -14, 2012 at the Marriott St. Kitts Resort in Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis.

The workshops were attended by official delegates from Antigua and Barbuda, the Bahamas, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The first workshop from September 10-11, focused on building capacity for the design and implementation of sustainable energy and energy conservation awareness programs.

The second workshop on September 12, which was attended by government officials from Ministries responsible for Education, and energy and climate change, as well as science school teachers, reviewed the Caribbean Energy Awareness and Education Programme (CEEAP) and its campaign Learn and Save, and explored avenues for its expansion as a follow-up to the CSEP. The intention is that CEEAP would help to reinforce institutional and pedagogic capacities to integrate in the curriculum, the importance of energy efficiency and renewable energy sources.
On September 13 and 14, a Teacher’s Sustainable Energy Workshop was held. The session was attended by government officials from the Ministries of Education and science school teachers. This session consisted of lectures and hands-on exercises in renewable sources of energy, energy efficiency and energy conservation. In addition, a package of educational materials and toolkits were handed-over to the six independent OECS countries and the Bahamas.
The workshops were led by Dr. Alexandra Daval, an expert in Information and Communications and Mr. Jonathan Rand, who has taught thousands of teachers and students about wind energy, and has facilitated teacher workshops on renewable energy science across the United States as well as Canada, Costa Rica, Chile and Ireland. “We are pleased to bring to the region the extraordinary skills and experiences for the workshop leaders together with the deeply committed education and energy sector representatives of the Caribbean to help expand clean energy educational practices,” said Mark Lambrides, Energy and Climate Change Mitigation Section Chief at the OAS.
The changes taking place in every aspect of today’s world have a powerful and immediate influence on the nature and function of professional educators, whose roles include the ability to mediate between students and the world around them. These challenges have already been recognized by the Education Ministers at the Twenty-second Meeting of OECS Ministers of Education held in Saint Kitts in 2012.
Given that synergistic efforts are needed to strengthen the capacity building of government officials to implement educational and awareness programs that endorse sustainable energy in the Caribbean, the OAS is working closely with other relevant agencies, such as the Caribbean Renewable Energy Development Programme, CARILEC, the University of the West Indies and the OECS Secretariat, among others.

Join Snapshots of Democracy, a Photo contest organized to celebrate 50 years observing elections in the Americas, use your cameras to capture the essence of democracy. What do democracy and elections mean to you, your community, and your country? This contest is open to all

The National Coastal Awareness Committee was joined by corporate supporters, volunteers, local government representatives and a goodly amount of youngsters, as they continue in the campaign to keep the Bahamas clean, green and pristine.

A regional training workshop was held in Miami, on cybercrime legislation and cyber security frameworks and policies, among the participants was Mr. Rickcardo Miller of The Bahamas. The event was organized jointly by the Department of Justice of the United State and the OAS General Secretariat, through the Department of Legal Cooperation of the Secretariat for Legal Affairs and the Secretariat of the Inter-American Committee against Terrorism (CICTE).

Regional Chemical Diversion Control Training Seminar held at Police Headquarters in Nassau. The Regional Seminar was offered to 20 particpants from The Bahamas and 4 from Antigua and Barbuda. The event was facilitated in conjunction with the Bahamas' National Anti-Drug Secretariat.

WASHINGTON - The Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), José Miguel Insulza, and the Alternate Representative of the Commonwealth of the Bahamas to the OAS, Freddie Tucker, today signed the Agreement on the Privileges and Immunities for the Electoral Observation Mission that the OAS will deploy for the general elections on Monday, May 7, in a ceremony called "historic" by both sides, held in the main building of the hemispheric organization in Washington DC.

“We are very happy to share this opportunity and to share this historic moment in which for the first time there will be an international electoral observation in the Bahamas,” said Secretary General Insulza. The chief representative of the OAS added, “We value very much that those countries that have a tradition of transparent and normal elections receive OAS Election Observation Mission, because that encourages other countries to see that this is not a watchdog exercise, but rather a way to share and improve the benefits of democracy throughout the region.”

On Monday, May 7, the people of the Bahamas will elect the 38 members of the National Assembly of the Bahamas. Three parties, the Free National Movement, the Progressive Liberal Party and the Democratic National Alliance have fielded candidates to fill the 38 seats in the National Assembly. Secretary General Insulza reported that the Chief of Mission will be OAS Secretary of External Relations Alfonso Quiñones, and that the mission will arrive May 1st.

For his part Representative Tucker, who also holds office in the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Ministry of his country, said “it is an historic moment for us, because this is the first time that we will be allowing observers to come to our country and observe an electoral process.” “The Bahamas have a strong tradition of democracy and transparency,” he added, pointing out that the people of the Bahamas “wait every five years to exercise the vote.”

Present at the signing ceremony were the Chair of the Permanent Council and Representative of Honduras to the OAS, Leónidas Rosa Bautista, the Assistant Secretary General of the OAS, Ambassador Albert Ramdin, the Chief of Staff of the Secretary General Hugo de Zela, and Ambassador Quiñones, among others.

The Assistant Secretary General of the Organization of American States (OAS), Ambassador Albert Ramdin held discussions in Barbados on Friday with a series of officials including the President of the Caribbean Development Bank Dr. Warren Smith and high ranking members of the diplomatic corps. The Assistant Secretary General, who recently returned from the Summit of the Americas in Cartagena, Colombia, met with officials in Barbados on ways to improve support and coordinate issues affecting OAS Member States of CARICOM.

During the meeting with the President of the Caribbean Development Bank, discussions were held on areas for further collaborations between the CDB and the OAS in the areas of climate change, energy, initiatives to assist vulnerable groups, as well as initiatives on strengthening Civil Registries and the Puente in the Caribbean project.

According to the high ranking OAS official, “We recognize the need to strengthen collaboration with all agencies to serve member states, especially in of financial constraint. We will continue to work together, to network where we can, and communicate with all partners on these issues.”

The OAS Assistant Secretary General also met with officials of St Vincent and the Grenadines, who were in Barbados at the time.

As part of his visit, Assistant Secretary General Ramdin addressed a conference on Peace in the Caribbean. According to the diplomat, the Caribbean region is home to some of the most stable democracies in the hemisphere, and while democracy must be safeguarded, governments across the region must intensify their efforts to address issues of crime and violence. “Sound government policy must continue to be supported and executed. Without adequate good governance, security cannot be guaranteed,” added Ramdin.

Duty Station: Washington DC. Citizens from any OAS Member State are welcome to apply

Duties and responsibilities:
The main responsibility of this position will be to assist with graphic/web design projects, especially with the development of a new web portal. In addition, the Jr. Web/Graphic Designer will be responsible for the creation of advertisement and publication material such as brochures, presentations and manuals, among others. Experience in animation and video development is a plus but not a requirement.

Desired qualifications:
 Studies in a related area of graphic design, web development or digital media program
 Skills in software programming and graphics
 Good interpersonal and communication skills
 Be adaptable and able to pick up new techniques
 Be able to work within tight deadlines while maintaining high quality of work
 Proficiency in English and Spanish

To Apply:
 Submit a resume showing evidence of previous work
 Include an annex with hyperlinks to previous web portals, presentations, and other relevant materials that you have developed
 Complete the CPR Application Form and the Controls for Conflicts of Interest
 Please submit all the documentation above required as a PDF file

Submit applications via email on or before January 16, 2012 to cybersecurity@oas.org. No phone calls

Prime Minister Ingraham was Elected Chairman of the World Bank/International Monetary Fund (IMF)Washington, DC, Monday September 19, 2011

Prime Minister Ingraham was elected Chairman of the World Bank/IMF group at the 2010 annual meetings. In order to be considered for the post of Chairman, the country should be in good standing with the Fund and the Bank Group in terms of cooperation, participation and financial relations. The chairman's country should also be in good standing in the international community, and the person elected is considered to be widely respected among finance and development officials.

The training was co-hosted by the Bahamas Airport Authority and led by aviation security experts from the Israeli Security Agency who hold the responsibility for securing aviation in Israel's airports. This was made
possible through a cooperative agreement between OAS/CICTE and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Israel.